Safety pin construction



Dec. 27, 1966 K 3,293,712

SAFETY PIN CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 21, 1965 f HA l N VENTOR.

Emu. MARK Y ATT RNEY United States Patent This invention relates ingeneral to a safety pin construction, and more specifically to animprovement applicable to the standard safety pin constructions and allvariations of such, as for example, those having special heads known asor used as baby pins or diaper pins.

Safety pins and diaper pins which are commonly in widespread, presentday use are made of wire and include a back wire, a coil portion and aconnected front pointed leg portion which is adapted to latch andunlatch with a head catch connected to the upper end of the back wireportion. Because these pins are usually made of wire construction, theback leg portions of such pins are usually difiicult to gripand hold.Consequently, in fastening a garment with 'such pins, as for example, adiaper having layers of folds, a mother would oftentimes encounterconsiderable difficulty in piercing the several folds of such diapers.This difficulty was encountered because the mothers fingers wouldnormally tend to slip along the smooth, thin, back wire of the pin. Inthe event that the pointed end of the pin has become dull or slightlybent, the difficulty encountered in piercing layers of cloth becomeseven more aggravated, as the more force required the more diflicult itwas to hold the pin from slipping between ones fingers.

Another difliculty encountered in the use of such safety pins,particularly of the type in which a coil spring portion is interposedbetween the back wire and the pointed leg portion thereof was theentanglement of loose threads of a garment in the coil. When thisoccurred, considerable difiiculty was encountered in freeing the safetypin from such entanglement.

It has been further observed that wire pin constructions, particularlywhen used as diaper pins, are prone to rust quickly, and for this reasonthe useful life of such pins are greatly diminished. Further the rustingof the pins render the same diflicult to use, since the rust offersresistance to piercing. Frequently excessive force is resorted to in aneffort to overcome this resistance. Because of this, mothersunintentionally will jab the baby in attempting to pierce the folds of adiaper with rusted pins.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide a wire pinconstruction in which the problem of rust is greatly diminished.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved safety pinconstruction in which means are provided for enhancing the holding andgripping of the pin so that it may be utilized as a fastener in a morepositive and facile manner.

Another object is to provide a back wire safety pin with a relativelythick layer of coating material for enhancing the grasping or grippingof the same.

Another object is to provide a safety pin construction in whichentanglement thereof with the loose threads of a garment is prohibited.

Still another object is to provide an improved safety pin that isrelatively inexpensive to manufacture, relatively simple inconstruction, and positive in operation.

It is another object of this invention to improve the functionalappearance and saleability of such safety pins.

A feature of this invention resides in the provision of coating the backwire portion of a safety pin with a layer of plastic or rubber likematerial so as to build up the thickness of the back wire portion of thepin with a 3,293,712 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 material which willfacilitate the gripping of the same, and which is non toxic.

Another feature resides in the provision wherein the layer or coatingmaterial may be extended so as to in clude substantially the entirelength of the back leg portion and/or the coil spring interposed betweenthe back wire and the pointed leg portion of the pin.

Still another feature resides in the provision whereby color may beadded to the covering material of the back wire so as to (add to theappeal and apperance of the 111. D Other features and advantages willbecome more readily apparent when considered in view of the drawings anddescription in which,

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the improved safety pin construction havingportions thereof shown in section.

FIGURE 2 is a front end View of the safety pin construction of FIG. 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a safety pinconstruction embodying the improve ment of the instant invention. Asshown therein, the safety pin 10 is formed of a suitable wireconstruction comprising a back wire portion 1'1 which has integrallyformed adjacent the lower end thereof a loop or coil 12 which extends todefine a pin leg portion 1 3 which is pointed on the free end 13Athereof. The construction and arrangement is such that the spring coilloop 12 defined between the back wire portion 11 and the pin leg portion13 normally bias the pin leg portion 13 toward open position as shown inFIG. 1.

Connected to the upper end of the back wire portion 11 is a hook shapedhead portion 14 which is provided with a catch 14A in which the pointedend 13A of the pin leg 13 is latched, when in the closed position asindicated in the dotted line showing of FIGURE 1. The pin 10 thus fardescribed constitutes substantially the standard type safety pinconstruction.

In accordance with this invention, the improvement resides in a coatingor covering 15 for back wire 11 of the safety pin 10. The coating 15 maybe formed of a non toxic material such as plastic, rubber, paint or thelike to build up the thickness of the back wire 11. Utilizing aresilient plastic material or rubber, and the like, further enhances thenon-skid or gripping facility with which one may hold the back wire 11.Thus, the built top portion of the back wire 11 due to the plastic orrubber coating or covering 15 therefor facilitates the gripping of thepin 10 so that a person using the same can more easily effect thepiercing of the pin leg portion 13 of the pin through several layers orfolds of fabric material, as for example, diapers or the like. Eventhough the tip end 13A of the pin 13 is slightly bent or worn, the bankwire 11 can be securely held so as to enable the pin leg 13 to bereadily pierced through several layers or folds of a babys diapers witha maximum of ease. Accordingly ones figners will not slip whenresistance is encountered in piercing the pin leg portion through afabric.

If desired, the covering or coating 15 on the back wire 11 may beextended so as to include the coil portion 12 of the pin 10 and a loweradjacent end portion of the pin leg 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. -Bycoating or covering the coil spring portion 12 as shown, entanglement ofthe loose threads of the fabric in the coils afiected thereby. of thespring coil 12 is prohibited. Since the coating it is to be noted thatthe pin leg 13 can be readily flexed 15 is formed of a resilient plasticor rubber-like material, between opened and closed position withoutdifficulty. Further the resilient coating or cover 15 is not adverselyIf desired, the plastic or rubber coating or cover 15 on the back wire11 and/or the coil 12 of the pin may be impregnated with suitablepigment to provide such coating with color. Thus, the pin so colorcoated greatly enhances the appeal and appearance thereof, and thecuteness of the diaper when pinned to a baby.

While not shown the head end portion 14 or the pin may be like-wisecoated with the same or similar covering material.

Also, to insure a more positive grip, the coating 15 along the 'backwire of the pin may be serrated, stippled or roughened to furtherenhance the grasping or holding of the pin when piercing the samethrough layers or folds of a diaper or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be readily noted that the holding orgripping of the pin 10 is greatly enhanced by the coating of the backwire as herein described, to result in that the piercing of severalfolds or layers of fabric material is greatly facilitated thereby. Theoverall construction fiurther enables the 'user to exercise a morepositive or surer control in piercing the pin through several layers ofdiaper. Thus the safety pin construction tacilitates and enhances theability of the pin to be pushed through layers or folds of diaper orcloth, and also greatly enhances the functional and esthetics appearanceof the pin. Also the coating 15 protects a substantial portion of thewire pin structure from rust.

While the instant invention has been described with a particularembodiment thereof, it will be appreciated that variations andmodifications may be made Without departing from the spirit or scope ofthe instance invention.

What is claimed is:

A safety pin of wire constnuction comprising,

(a) a Wire pin leg portion provided with a point at one end thereof,

(b) a wire back leg portion having an upper and a lower end,

(0) a resilient wire spring coil portion integrally connected to theadjacent ends of said Wire pin leg and wire back leg portions,

(d) said coil normally biasing said wire pin leg portion toward openposition of said pin,

(e) a head connected to the upper end of said back leg portion,

(f) said head defining a catch for receiving the pointed end of said pinin the closed position thereof,

(1g) and a resilient plastic coating covering substantially the entirelength of said wire back portion and said connected coil with saidcoating being in intimate encompassing relation with the wire backportion and defining a tubular covering therefor having an unobstructedouter frictional gripping and cushioning surface so as to facilitategrasping thte wire back leg portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 436,377 9/1890Noyes 24-161 556,001 3/1896 Bronson. 1,962,953 6/1934 Ervin. 2,435,1741/19'48 Bell 24 139 x FOREIGN PATENTS 716,762 10/1954 Great Britain.

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner. D. GRIFFIN, Examiner.

